If you’ve recently moved into a new home, you’re going to want to start looking for good furniture to furnish your home with.
If you do it right the first time, you wouldn’t have to think about buying furniture again for the next several decades. In fact, you may even be able to pass it down to the next generation if the furniture you invest in is really good.
However, you might have a few questions about where you can get the best furniture from – for the best price. You usually have two options to choose from – you could either get brand new furniture from a store, or buy second hand.
To make this decision easier for you, we’ve put together a list of the pros and cons of buying from both places – using this, you’ll be able to figure out which option is going to work better for you based on the type of furniture you’re shopping for, the budget you have, and what kind of pieces you’d like to get (brand new, antique, etc.). Now let’s dive right into it and get started – happy shopping!
Buying furniture from the store
Let’s start with the most common choice most homeowners usually go for, since it’s more traditional than buying second hand pieces. Here’s a list of the pros and cons, if you’d like to go for brand new pieces too:
Store bought furniture – the pros
- You’re going to be getting furniture that’s never been used before, so you don’t need to spend extra on cleaning it up or restoring it.
- You can get furniture that has cushions and cloth without a second-thought, since you know it’s going to be clean.
- The furniture you’re getting will come with a certain period of warranty in most stores.
- You can be sure that it will be sturdy and won’t need any mending.
- It’s going to look pretty good in your home, and will be ready to use as soon as you purchase it.
- It’s easier to get expensive furniture insured if the items are brand new and undamaged – you can learn more about this by using iSelect to compare various insurance policies for home and contents – including what’s covered and what’s not.
- You can be sure that it’s going to last longer and can be passed down to your children in the future – provided you’ve bought it from a really good and reliable store.
Store bought furniture – the cons
- It’s going to be quite expensive, even if you’re buying just a few pieces.
- If it’s made of engineered wood (as most pieces are these days, especially bookshelves and tables), it’s not going to be very sturdy.
- You could get a bigger sofa or table for half the price at a second-hand store, so there’s a chance that you may not get the value you’re paying for, especially since most wood is over priced these days.
Buying second hand furniture
Now that you have an idea of what to expect with new furniture, here’s what you’ll get with used furniture:
Second hand furniture – the pros
- You’ll be able to get a really good deal if you bargain well.
- If you’re lucky, you might get your hands on antique pieces – some of these are close to priceless!
- Old furniture is usually more sturdy than most new ones, especially if you find something made of solid wood.
- You’ll be able to add an antique aesthetic touch to your home’s ambiance.
Second hand furniture – the cons
- You’ll have to spend some money cleaning it up (if necessary), and may also have to retouch it.
- If you’ve bought upholstered furniture, you might have to consider other ways of sanitizing it because it would be packed with germs.
- You may need to spend money on fixing other minor issues – such as chips and scratches.
Using the information above, you should be able to figure out which deal you’d rather go for. At the end of the day, it’s always best to go to the specific stores in your area and check out both options before you make the purchase.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
